While the option to Boot Windows computer in Safe Mode by pressing F8 key has been disabled on the current generation of computers, it can still be enabled by changing the Boot Menu Policy.
You may want to do this, if you are used to the procedure of booting the computer in Safe Mode by pressing F8 Key and want to keep the same option enabled on your new Windows 11/10 computer.
Reasons for “F8 Key Safe Mode” Being Disabled by Microsoft
Before going ahead with the steps to enable F8 Key Safe Mode method on your computer, you might be interested in knowing as to why it was disabled by Microsoft.
In general, the reasons for “F8 Key Safe Mode” being disabled by Microsoft in the current generation of Windows computers can be summarized as below.
- Faster Boot Times: Modern computers equipped with SSD drives and faster UEFI firmware can boot under 200 milliseconds; which is too quick for a user to press the F8 key and the system to detect it.
- Tablet Computers: The F8 Key Safe Mode method was not working on many tablet devices; which raised reliability issues.
- Stability & Reliability: Modern computers come equipped with automatic repair diagnostics; which is more reliable and safer than expecting the users to interrupt the boot process.
However, you can still enable “F8 Key Safe Mode” method on your computer and see if you can make use of it to quickly access the Safe Mode on your computer. At any time, you can disable the F8 Key Safe Mode option; if you are unable to use it.
1. Enable F8 Key Safe Mode in Windows 11/10
You should be able to enable “F8 Key Safe Mode” option on most computers by using the following steps below.
1. Type CMD in the Search bar > right-click on Command Prompt in the search results and click on Run as Administrator option.
2. On the Command prompt screen, type bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy and press the Enter key on the Keyboard of your computer.
3. Close the Command Prompt screen and Restart the computer.
After this step, you should be able to boot your computer in Safe Mode by pressing the F8 key, while the computer is trying to start up.
Note: If you miss the opportunity to press the F8 key at the right time and the computer does not enter Safe Mode, simply restart the computer and repeat the process.
2. Disable F8 Key Safe Mode in Windows 11/10
In certain cases, enabling “F8 Key Safe Mode” option can result in the computer taking a bit longer boot up, compared to its earlier startup time. If this happens, you can disable “F8 Key Safe Mode” by reversing the boot policy.
1. Open Command Prompt As Admin.
2. Type bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy STANDARD and press the Enter key.
3. Close the Command Prompt screen and Restart the computer.
After this, you won’t be able to boot your computer in Safe Mode by using the F8 Key.